Page 10 of Standing Still

“Anyhoo, I just wanted to say hi. Ben will calm down and you will figure things out with him. Acer, Lord knows what he was thinking, although I may have some idea,” she taps her nose.

“What?”

“Go speak to him, honey.”

For a moment, I think she means speak to my dad. If the comment about him haunting her has any meaning. She looks the mystical type.

“He wanted you to talk to Ben.”

With that, she walks away. I stand on the sidewalk and watch her as she grabs an old bicycle, climbs up and rides away, waving at people as she does.

Eventually, I head to the car and drive away, not knowing what to do or where to go. I could call Dawn, try to figure things out with her, given she knows everyone and everything that goes on in town. But she has her kids to worry about and she’s about ready to give birth.

Also, we only reconnected yesterday after a decade. I can’t dump everything on her doorstep like that.

I can think of nothing worse than going back to the Inn to sit alone and stew over everything so instead, I head to the Williams Beach Park, which is just across the street from the Inn and a place I knew very well in my childhood. We used to come here as a family and my friends and I partied a lot here as I got older. I even spent my fair share of time with Ben down here.

The meeting went so spectacularly wrong. It isn’t like I hoped to reconnect with him, although from that cryptic comment Susanmade, seems like dad had. I’d figured if we did bump into each other, it could be slightly awkward, but we’re both adults. What happened between us back then was so long ago, surely we could move past it?

Guess not.

I climb out of the car, leaving my purse on the floor in the footwell but grab my phone and sunglasses. The sun is warm, so I remove my blazer and kick off my heels once I hit the sand. I look out at the water, inhaling the sea air with the faint underlying scent of fish. It isn’t overpowering, nor gross, it is the scent of my childhood.

Mystic is nothing like New York. It took me a while to get used to the hustle and bustle of a big city, but now it’s kind of synonymous with who I am. Everything out here is so much slower, quieter. There are a few people on the beach, some kids playing at the small playground. Everyone is going about their business. I head passed the empty lifeguard tower, closer to the water’s edge.

Dropping the blazer, I spread it out and then sit down, drawing my legs up and wrapping my arms around them. I sit for a while, letting memories envelope me, some good, some bad, some pretty X rated, but I cut those off at the knee. Last thing I need is to be recalling my time here with Ben.

For whatever reason, he’s been blindsided today. Ben seemed so sure he was inheriting the business, which I would only welcome. It is one less thing for me to worry about, but my luck is never that good. And now I’ll have to deal with him.

Ben is nothing if not a stubborn jerk. He left thinking I’ve already decided to ruin his livelihood and all those people who work for dad’s business. Does he really think so little of me?

Question is, how will I get around what dad stipulated?

Moving back to Mystic is not an option for me.

Chapter Six

“That is messed up.”

“Tell me about it,” I angrily finish the beer and slam the bottle on the bar. “Give me another,” I say to Craig. He nods and reaches into the fridge behind the counter. He grabs one for himself too, pops them both open and leans his elbows on the bar, eyeing me. It’s not too busy, considering it’s just before the midday rush.

“I thought he promised you.”

“Yeah,” I sigh. “So did I.”

“What’s his endgame?” Craig straightens and drinks some beer. He’s the boss, so it doesn’t matter that he’s drinking on shift.

I shrug, but I can guess. Acer periodically talked about me and Elle and our relationship. I’d always told him not to bother bringing it up. Elle was long gone from my life. He’s trying to force something from beyond the grave, and it seriously pisses me off. What right does he have to meddle in my life? For the first time in a long time, I don’t particularly like Acer George.

“So, what’s she look like now?” Craig raises a brow. “Still hot?”

“Shut the fuck up,” I growl at him. It’s only because I’m pissed at her, nothing more. Craig eyes me knowingly, though. I’d alwaysbeen a possessive bastard, especially where Elle was concerned. “Probably a hundred times better than when we were kids,” I tell him.

He whistles and raises his eyes when a group of people enter. Luckily, it isn’t the guys from work. They are going to want to know what happened. As are my family. How in the hell am I going to explain that I’m at her mercy? I have the very distinct and miserable realisation she is going to walk away and allow my life to fall apart. Again.

Craig goes to serve the newcomers. He is one of my best friends and took over this place from his uncle. It had been a tired and dated pub that barely turned a profit for years, but he made the place into a thriving, hip bar and restaurant for the younger crowd in town and it was a hotspot for tourists.

I genuinely don’t know what Acer was thinking. I know one thing for sure, I shouldn’t have let that shit get to me and run out of the meeting. It made me look weak and hotheaded. I may be angry, but I’m definitely not weak and usually I can contain it if something gets to me.

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